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Friday, 26 July 2013

Hidden Zipper Pocket Tutorial

A while back, I shared a bag I made with a hidden zipper pocket.

I took some photos for a tutorial so here it is.. a few months later!

So this pocket is going to go right across the width of your bag. So your zipper should be longer than the width. I'm not going to go throught the steps to make the bag, but I made a simple flat bag -without the pocket it would be essentially be two rectangles sewed together..

The steps to do this are very similiar to making a zipper pouch, so it would be helpful if you have done this before.

Ok, the pocket was on the front of the bag. When cutting your outer fabric pieces which in this simple bag is two rectangles, cut the front about an bit longer than than you need.

Spilt the front piece horizontally at the height you want the pocket. The zipper is going to end up between these two pieces. The bottom piece is going to make up the pocket part.

Cut a second piece from the outer fabric the same size as the pocket part. From the lining fabric, also cut the same size as the pocket part.

Take the lining pocket piece and the second outer pocket piece and sew the zipper between them, the same way as making a zipper pouch. So lining face up, zipper face up, outer face down with top edges lined up. Sew using zipper foot. You'll end up with the below, whhn flipping fabric wrong side together, just like a zipper pouch - DON'T top stitch y

Now fold the edge of the outer fabric with the zipper to form a "lip" and the zipper falls behind about 1/2". Hopefully the picture can help illustrate what I mean.

Topstitch along the fold

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Now take the two pieces of outer fabric that we spilt into two. Sandwich as before, pocket piece (smaller one in my example) RST, zipper, top fabric piece. Open your zipper when doing this to keep the lip from the other side out of the way and sew.

Below is what you should have..Separate the two fabric pieces so one goes up and one goes down (like in photo). I think you can probably topstitch on either side of the zipper. (Can't remember if I did)

Zip up the zipper and you have a hidden zipper inserted! Mine is where those circles are broken.

As you can see I had excess lining fabric due to the fold at the zipper. Trim as needed. You can baste the sides and bottom of the pocket.

And that's your front of your bag with the hidden zipper pocket! Sew right side together with your back exterior piece. When doing this you'll be sewing the zipper into the seams and trim it down as needed.

I have a bag in mind that uses this in a variation.. just need to get down to making it!